Please find below Peel Public Health’s respiratory illness season key messages and data highlights for the period of December 28 – January 3.
This summary includes relevant details related to Peel’s respiratory illness landscape. The information is intended to help streamline public health messaging across our Peel system partners. Please reference this material as needed for any respiratory illness status updates and share the information with your respective staff and partners as relevant. Peel Public Health asks that our content not be changed. If supplemented, please indicate which portions are your own and which originate from Peel Public Health.
As this document pertains specifically to Peel’s respiratory season, please refer to the latest updates on Ontario’s respiratory virus situation by monitoring the Ontario Respiratory Virus Tool. For updates across Canada, consult the Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report (FluWatch+) on Canada.ca.
Additionally, Peel Public Health encourages health care providers to stay informed by subscribing to our Health Professionals Updates (HPU). This service shares timely and relevant public health information to support health professionals in the community. Interested individuals can sign up by visiting: Subscribe to Health Professionals Update (HPU) emails.
| Data Highlights/Updates/Key Messages | |
| Key Highlights / Messages | In week 53, respiratory virus activity in Peel remained high with most activity being driven by influenza A. REMINDER: Respiratory virus testing requests must use PHO’s General Test Requisition Form with symptoms and patient setting indicated. Ontario has two respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention programs: Infant and high-risk children (which also includes pregnant individuals) Adults (expanded this year to include all individuals 75 years and older) Eligible individuals should speak with their health care provider about RSV immunization options. Please note: the publicly funded RSV vaccine is not available at pharmacies Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines for the general population are available at participating pharmacies and primary care clinics. No one intervention on its own is 100% effective at preventing the spread of respiratory infections, but practicing multiple public health measures provides the best protection. Community members can: Get vaccinated and stay up to date with vaccinations. Stay home when sick, and if unable to stay at home, wear a mask and avoid vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or immunocompromised. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hand. In health care settings, this may include: Return of masking policies and other measures (e.g., active screening) based on local epidemiology and provincial recommendations. |
| Current Peel Respiratory Virus Activity | In week 53 (ending January 3, 2026), overall respiratory activity in Peel remains high; activity continues to be driven by influenza A. In week 52, percent positivity was highest for influenza (41.8%), followed by RSV at 5.4%. Eleven new outbreaks were declared in week 53, including 7 new Influenza A outbreaks. Since September 1, 2025, respiratory outbreaks in Peel have been driven by influenza (n=39), COVID-19 (n=29), and rhinovirus and/or enterovirus (n=18). Detailed epidemiologic updates can continue to be found weekly on Wednesdays at: Peel Respiratory Virus Activity report . For a list of current (open) outbreaks visit: Ongoing Institutional Outbreaks. |
| Testing eligibility, availability and Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Updates | The Ministry of Health (MOH) recommends a Test-to-Treat approach for respiratory viruses. Individuals must be symptomatic to meet the current eligibility criteria. As of January 5, 2026, all respiratory virus testing requests must use PHO’s General Test Requisition Form with symptoms and patient setting indicated. Specimens from asymptomatic individuals, or without appropriate signs/symptoms documented on the requisition, will not be tested. PHO will no longer accept specimens submitted with the former COVID-19 or Respiratory Virus Test Requisition Form FLUVID (tests for influenza A, B, RSV A/B, and SARS-COV-2), Multiplex Respiratory Virus (MRVP) (tests for influenza A, B, RSV A/B, parainfluenza 1-4, adenovirus, enterovirus, seasonal human coronavirus, rhinovirus and human metapneumovirus), and SARS-CoV-2 testing are available for eligible individuals. Refer to the following links for current eligibility: Respiratory Viruses (including influenza) | Public Health Ontario COVID19 testing and treatment | ontario.ca |
| Vaccine Updates | Ordering information/updates: Peel Public Health accepts orders for influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 immunizations. Place your vaccine orders through the Peel Health Professionals Portal. Orders can now be picked up at any of the following locations: 10 Peel Centre Drive in Brampton 7120 Hurontario Street in Mississauga 325 Central Parkway West, Unit 21, Mississauga Alternatively, orders can be delivered through a paid courier service offered by Critical Path Ltd. RSV Prevention Programs: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory illness affecting the lungs and airways, particularly among infants, young children, and older adults. Ontario has two prevention programs to help provide protection for these vulnerable populations: Infant and High-risk Children RSV prevention program This program began October 1, 2025. For eligibility information, please refer to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention programs | ontario.ca The recommended approach for RSV prevention is administering Beyfortus® to infants. This RSV monoclonal antibody provides ready-made antibodies for immediate protection against disease. The RSV vaccine, Abrysvo™, is also available for pregnant individuals between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation who do not wish to or are not able to protect their infant using the monoclonal antibody. Administration of both the vaccine to the pregnant individual and a monoclonal antibody to the infant is NOT recommended except under specific circumstances in consultation with a health care provider. Infants born during the 2025-26 RSV season will be offered Beyfortus® in hospital before discharge. Infants and children up to 24 months old at high-risk of severe illness and eligible pregnant individuals can also receive their immunization from their health care provider. For more information on the RSV prevention program, program eligibility and where to get immunized visit: https://peelregion.ca/health/diseases-infections/respiratory-syncytial-virus Adult High-Risk RSV vaccine program This program has expanded this year to include ALL individuals 75 years and older and individuals 60-74 years of age who meet certain high-risk criteria. For detailed eligibility information please refer to: https://www.ontario.ca/page/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-prevention-programs#section-2 Note: Studies on the RSV vaccine continue to show multi-year protection. Adults who have received a dose of RSV vaccine previously do not need to receive another dose. RSV vaccine is available at participating primary care clinics (reminder that publicly funded RSV vaccine is NOT available at pharmacies). For more information on the RSV prevention program and program eligibility criteria: https://peelregion.ca/health/diseases-infections/respiratory-syncytial-virus Influenza Vaccine This season the influenza vaccine continues to be recommended for all individuals 6 months and older. There has been a switch from quadrivalent inactivated vaccines to trivalent inactivated vaccines. For more information on the Influenza vaccine program and program eligibility criteria and recommendations visit: https://peelregion.ca/health/diseases-infections/flu COVID-19 Vaccine This season the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be recommended for all individuals 6 months and older. Both this season’s COVID-19 vaccine products (Moderna Spikevax and Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty) were updated to target the LP.8.1 variant, replacing the previous KP.2 version of the vaccine. Both publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines are equivalent and are expected to provide the same protection against COVID-19 disease. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine program, program eligibility criteria, and recommendations visit: https://peelregion.ca/health/vaccinations/covid-19-vaccines Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are available at participating pharmacies and primary care clinics. |
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